Friday, February 9, 2018

Back in Mind

Back exercises and
running surprisingly go hand in hand. If your running form needs improvement,
it’s likely that your posture does too. Having a strong back will help propel
you forward at a more efficient rate.

Lower Back

Superman’s

For this exercise, lay
a yoga mat or towel on the ground. Start by lying down on your stomach. Raise
your arms to your head, so your hands are placed at the back of your head. Your
elbows should be bent and out to the sides. Lift your head off of the ground
shortly followed by lifting your shoulders and chest. Your lower abdominals and
legs should be the only body parts touching the mat. Hold the position for 5
seconds before resting and going into another rep.

Diagonals

Stay in the same
starting position as the Superman’s. Place your arms straight out above your
head. Then raise your right arm and your left leg and hold, then place them
back down. Switch and raise your left arm and your right leg and hold, then
place them back down. When you are comfortable pick up the speed in-between
switches, until it’s one fluid motion. It’s almost as if you were pretending to
swim on the land.

Bird Dogs

To start this
exercise, get on your hands and knees. Start by reaching out with your left arm
straight above your head and at the same time, extending your right leg
straight back. This should be done at a slower speed. Once both are fully
stretched out, hold the position. Slowly, bring your left arm and right leg
back towards the starting position. You want to touch your left elbow to your
right knee before returning both to the ground. After you completed your reps
for this side switch sides, so that now your right arm raises forward and your
left leg extends back. Hold, and then let your right elbow touch your left knee
before setting them back on the ground.

image courtesy of healthyfocus.com

Child’s Pose

This is a nice stretch
to release the tension in your lower back, and it’s a good way to end a lower
back workout. Start on the ground on your hands and knees. Keeping your hands
planted firmly on the ground, gently rock backwards until you are resting on
your legs. Keep your head down and breathe deeply. Stay in this position until
you feel properly stretched out.

Upper Body

Renegade Row

These are extreme
push-ups, so if your push-up game is not as strong yet hold off on this
exercise. For this exercise, you will need two light dumbbells, choose a weight
that is not effortless, but not tiring after a few reps. With your dumbbells
close, get into a push up position. Move your dumbbells so they are directly
underneath where you would place your hands. When you are comfortable, grab a
dumbbell in each hand and do a push-up. When you are back in the starting
push-up position, raise your right dumbbell by letting your right elbow bend
backwards, then place it back down. Then do another push-up. Once you are back
in starting position raise your left dumbbell until your hand is even with your
chest. Two push-ups with both of the tricep curls is one complete rep. Try
doing 10 and modify it if you need to.

Shoulder Squeeze

Start in a push-up
position. Instead of going into a push-up, let your shoulders drop, so that
they move closer together. Squeeze, hold, and then relax. It should feel like
you are trying to arch your back in push-up position. Do 10 reps of these to
strengthen your upper back.

Standing Rows

Choose a dumbbell
weight that will work your arms and one that you can easily do reps with. Grab
a dumbbell in each hand and slightly bend your knees. Keeping your back
straight, bend your torso forward. Pull the weights up, so that your elbows
stick up past your back, but your arms remain close to your body. Then lower
your arms back down again. Make sure when you do this exercise not to round
your back, this will undo the work of the exercise and creates the possibility
for injury.

Hopefully with these
exercises, your back will get and maintain the strength it needs to help you
become a better runner and cyclist. Maintaining a strong back will help improve
your posture and prevent injuries from occurring.